System and method of predicting outcome of sporting events

ABSTRACT

A system and method of conducting games of chance in conjunction with a plurality of regularly-scheduled sporting events between competing teams for determining winners of the game based on the highest number of score points during a playing season allow the game participants to predict the probability of selected teams winning during one of the scheduled sporting event. The probability scores awarded by the game participants are stored on actual game cards or entered into a computer memory, so that at the end of the season, the game participant with the highest score wins the game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a system and method for predicting the outcome of sporting events, and more particularly the outcome of professional football games.

It has become a favorite pastime of sport enthusiasts to engage in some type of prediction game that allows a more knowledgeable participant to win a game by correctly predicting the outcome of one or more sporting events during a season. The gaming methods can be either fantasy methods or outcome-based methods. Fantasy methods may involve such steps as conducting a selection draft for actual athletes, for instance NFL players, to compose their respective fantasy teams. For each week of scheduled NFL games, the fantasy league teams are paired in head-to-head competition, and each team's weekly score is calculated based on the statistical achievements of the NFL players/units for that week. The scoring system allows the fantasy teams to receive a certain amount of points for touchdowns and another set amount of points is awarded for other activities, such as passing. However, the outcomes of NFL games, in terms of who wins and loses, have little or no bearing on fantasy scoring; usually, only individual players' performances affect fantasy scoring. Regardless, the winner of each fantasy league weekly pairing is determined by whichever of the two fantasy teams receives the higher cumulative score.

The steps of predicting the outcome of a player's performance change each week, while the fantasy players compile win-loss records. Then, after several weeks of competition, some of the fantasy teams, in reward for having the league's best win-loss records, will advance to a fantasy league playoff. The fantasy team that wins the fantasy playoff is declared the league winner and is awarded a predetermined financial prize. The size of the prize largely depends on the amount of fees paid by each player as a condition of fantasy league entry.

Outcome-based methods involve predictions of the outcomes of real sporting contests, and a player is rewarded for making the most correct predictions. Some methods call for predicting the outright winners of contests, some call for predicting teams to cover point spreads published for contests and yet other methods call for predicting contest scores. The players with the highest aggregate number of correct picks over a given timeframe, be it a week or an entire tournament season win. The amount of the prize, if the game involves financial remuneration, depends on the number of players in the game. The prizes may be awarded weekly or at the end of the season.

However, the present inventor is not aware of any existing game in which its players are required to select winners every week based on the actual game played each week by sport teams. The present invention contemplates provision of such an outcome-based method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method of predicting an outcome of a sporting event

It is another object of the invention to provide a set of playing cards that allow players to record their predictions in a structured manner.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved through a provision of a system and method of conducting games of chance in conjunction with a plurality of regularly-scheduled sporting events between competing teams for determining winners of the game based on the highest number of score points during a playing season. Each participant is issued four sets of different cards that are either real cards or virtual cards stored on a computer. The cards have delineated spaces for entry of the names of actual teams that play during a regular playing season. Blank spaces are provided for entry, by the game participants, of the numerical value of the probability score that the player awards to each team the player believes would win during a scheduled game. The player with the highest numerical value of the probability score point collected during the playing season wins the game. At the election of the game administrator, fees may be collected for participation in the game of chance, with the prize awarded to the winner drawn from the collected fees.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein

FIG. 1 is an exemplary blank weekly playing card for use in the method of the present invention when predicting the outcome of one week in a 16-game NFL championship.

FIG. 2 is a weekly playing card filled by a first player using the method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a weekly playing card filled by a second player using the method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a weekly playing card filled by the first player for use in the method of the present invention when predicting the outcome of one week in a 14-game NFL championship.

FIG. 5 is a weekly playing card filled by the second player for use in the method of the present invention when predicting the outcome of one week in a 14-game NFL championship.

FIG. 6 is a game card filled by the first player for playoffs of an NFL championship.

FIG. 7 is a game card filled by the second player for playoffs of an NFL championship.

FIG. 8 is a game card filled by the first player for Super Bowl of an NFL championship.

FIG. 9 is a game card filled by the second player for Super Bowl of an NFL championship.

FIG. 10 is a total score card filled with the score points for the season of the first player.

FIG. 11 is a total score card filled with the score points for the season of the second player.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now to the drawings in more detail, numeral 10 designates one of the playing cards for use in the system of the present invention. The card 10 can be a real card made or paper, carton, etc. or it can be a virtual card that a player sees on a computer screen if the game is played on computer or through the Internet. Each player or a team of players is issued a first set of cards with indicia thereon that contains a table for each week of the playing season. The front face of the card 10 is provided with various indicia suitable for use with a pre-selected sporting event. Assuming that the sporting event is a professional football tournament, the card has a title line 14 indicating the week of the tournament during a regular playing season.

The NFL league currently consists of thirty-two teams in the United States. The league is divided evenly into two conferences—the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC), and each conference has four divisions that have 4 teams each. The regular season is a seventeen-week schedule during which each team has one bye week and plays sixteen games. This schedule includes six games against a team's divisional rivals, as well as several inter-division and inter-conference games. “Bye week” refers to any week during the regular season in which a team does not play a game. Each NFL team will have one “bye week” during a normal season; this is placed on the schedule between Week 3 and Week 10.

The indicia on the card 10 comprise a table consisting of a plurality of rows and columns that are used by players for entering their predictions. The table has blank delineated spaces for entering predictions by the players of the game tournament. The first line in the table is divided into two parts: blank space 16 for entering the name of the player and space 18 for entering the number of games left during a playing week. The time period is one of the successive time periods, into which a regular playing season is divided.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary entry of “Player A” in space 16 and “# of games 16” in space 18. The upper part of the table contains four columns; the first column 20 contains the names of the NFL teams; the second column 22 contains originally blank space for the score of the actual game that is played between two teams; originally blank third column 24, wherein a player enters the numerical value of the probability score the player awards to a particular team winning the head-to-head game during that period in the season; and originally blank fourth column 26 is filled in with the numerical value, or number of points awarded to the player for the predictions made in column 24.

The upper part of the table also contains seventeen horizontally divided spaces. Sixteen of the horizontal spaces in the upper part of the table are provided with the names of two teams who are scheduled to play during the first week of the season. For instance, new Orleans Saints are scheduled to play against Indianapolis Colts; Atlanta Falcons are scheduled to play against Minnesota Vikings, etc. The score column is filled in with the actual results of the game alter the game is played. The first player is required to fill in the “Winner Points” column by predicting the probability of a particular team winning during the first week of the season.

FIG. 2 illustrates that Player A predicted that New Orleans Saints would win the match with the Indianapolis Colts. Player A estimated the probability of the New Orleans Saints winning the game by inputting the highest number of points (16) available during this round of the game. Player A also predicted that Minnesota Vikings would win in the game with Atlanta Falcons with a 10-point probability. In the 16-point system of the prediction system of the present invention, Player A awarded the lowest probability number (1) to Baltimore Ravens winning in the game against Cincinnati Bengals.

At the same time, Player B, using the table of FIG. 3, predicted that the highest probability points (16) to Indianapolis Colts in the game against New Orleans Saints; and the lowest probability score (1) to Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning in a game against Seattle Seahawks. It can be seen that the total number of winner points during Week 1 of the seasons cannot exceed 136 for any player according to the instant method.

After the results of the first games of the season become available, the players are awarded points for correctly predicting the winner and the ranking in the probability value. In the method of the present invention, when any one player's probability value matches the outcome of the actual event, the player is awarded the exact number of points the player chose in the probability points. FIG. 2 illustrates that Player A correctly predicted the probability value of Minnesota Vikings winning against Atlanta Falcons. The number of points chosen by Player A (10) in Column 24 is carried over to the column 26 as “points warded.” The same step is performed for every game. When the player incorrectly predicted the winner, the player receives “0” points. Therefore Player A receives “0” points for the prediction made in the game of New Orleans Saints versus Indianapolis Colts, and receives nine points in column 26 for correctly predicting the probability of Kansas City Chiefs winning against Houston Texans.

By adding the points awarded in column 26, the total weekly game points awarded to Player A is 75. At the same time, Player B receives 95 total weekly game points based on the sum of points awarded and recorded in column 26 of FIG. 3.

In addition to making the predictions on the winning team, the players also have an opportunity of predicting the teams that would advance to playoffs and Super Bowl in the AFC and the NFC conferences. At the end of each regular season, six teams from each conference play in the NFL playoffs, a twelve-team single-elimination tournament that culminates with the championship game, known as the Super Bowl.

The lower part of the table on the card 10 contains three columns: the first column 30 (originally blank) is filled in by the players with the names of the teams the player believes would advance to the playoffs. FIG. 2 illustrates that Player A selected Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots. Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and San Diego Chargers as the most probable candidates from the AFC conference. Player A also selected six teams from the NFC conferences, entering the highest possible number of points (17), or probability score, in column 32 entitled “possible points.” Upon completion of the championship, Player A is awarded the number of points that are entered in originally blank column 34 entitled “points awarded” assuming that team went to the playoffs or Super Bowl.

Based on the results of actual games, Player A receives “0” points for predicting that Baltimore Ravens would have a chance of advancing to the playoffs. Player B receives 17 points for predicting that several teams, such as New England Patriots, San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys would have an opportunity to advance to the playoffs.

The lower-most part of the table on card 10 is reserved for predicting the names of the teams and possible winners in the Super Bowl. Player A predicted that Baltimore Ravens would be the team from the AFC division and New Orleans Saints from the NFC conference. The maximum number of points in this part of the game is 34. This number is entered in column 32.

The sum of the “Playoffs” and “Super Bowl” points is entered in the “total Weekly Playoff and Super Bowl Points” line in column 34. Since both Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints lost during Week 1 of the championship, the total number of Super Bowl points for Player A is 85, while the total weekly playoff and Super Bowl points of Player B (FIG. 3) is 102. It should be noted that Player B, in the example shown in FIG. 3, correctly predicted the outcome of the games during Week 1 six times based on the properly selected names of teams that have a chance of advancing to playoffs. However, Player B incorrectly predicted that Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints would advance to the Super Bowl. As a consequence, Player B also receives “0” points in the Super Bowl portion of the table on the card 10.

The same steps are repeated for all weeks during the season, with the players betting on the chance or the teams' winning during that week, as well as predicting the playoffs teams and the Super Bowl teams. During Week 2, a player selects the winning teams on the scale of 1 to the number of games played that week. The number of possible playoffs points and Super Bowl points also reduces as the strengths and weaknesses of individual teams become more evident as the tournament progresses. For instance, during Week 2, the maximum number of points for the Super Bowl section is 32, during Week 3—30 points and so on. In every case, the Super Bowl points are double the number of the playoff points.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate how Week 4 is played, with the possible number of points the “Winner Points” column being 14, the playoffs possible points—9 and the Super Bowl possible points—18.

At the end of 17 weeks, the players (or computer software) calculate the total number of points a player was awarded during the 17-week gaming tournament. The player with the highest total points wins the game.

In addition to the weekly games, the players have an opportunity to make predictions during the playoffs. FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the second set of cards with indicia containing tables that are used in this step of the game using examples of Players A and B. In this step, the players use the point-numbering system in 5-point increments, from 5 to 20. To qualify for playoffs, the four-division champions from each conference (the team in each division with the best overall record), which are seeded 1 through 4 based on their overall won-lost-tied record advance as the winning teams. Additionally, two wild card qualifiers (those non-division champions with the conference's best winning percentages), which are seeded 5 and 6 advance to playoffs, as well.

According to the NFL rules, the first round of the playoffs is dubbed the Wild Card Playoffs (the league in recent years has also used the term Wild Card Weekend). In this round, the third-seeded division winner hosts the sixth seed wild card, and the fourth seed hosts the Fifth. The 1 and 2 seeds from each conference receive a bye in the first round, which entitles these teams to automatic advancement to the second round, the Divisional Playoffs, where they face the Wild Card Weekend survivors. Unlike most tournaments, with a predetermined bracket, the second round of the playoffs is “re-seeded”; the top seed always hosts the lowest surviving seed, while the other two teams pair off. The two surviving teams from each conference's Divisional Playoff games meet in the respective AFC and NFC Conference Championship games, with the winners of those contests going on to face one another in the Super Bowl. In case the number-one seeded team lost in the Division Playoff, then the remaining lowest seeded team would get to host the Conference Championship.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a table 50 used during one of the rounds in the playoffs, where eight teams play four games. The upper part of the table 50 is divided into four columns, the first column 52 has indicia of the names of the teams in a round of playoffs when eight teams play in four games. The actual score of each game is entered after the game in originally blank column 52. Players A and B enter their predicted probability score in originally blank column 56 “winner point,” awarding each projected winner team a probability number from 5 to 20 in 5-point increments. In this example, Player A predicted a high probability of winning to Tampa Bay Buccaneers with 20 points, Jacksonville Jaguars 15 points, Washington Redskins 10 points, and Tennessee Titans—5 points. Player B (FIG. 7) awarded the highest probability number of point (20) to San Diego Chargers and the lowest probability number of points (5) to Pittsburgh Steelers.

After the game is completed, the players or computer software, if the game is played on a computer, calculates the total number of weekly playoff game point and enters that number in originally blank column 58 “points awarded.” If the player picked up the winning team the player receives 20 points, and for each losing prediction the player receives “0” points. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, Player A received 15 out of possible 15 points, while Player B received 35 out of possible numerical value of 50 points (FIG. 7).

The lower part of the table 50 contains columns and rows for entering Super Bowl bets. The columns and lines are originally blank, allowing each player to enter a team the player predicts to be a winner in the AFC and the NFC conferences. The “possible points” is 30 set by program so that a player can enter the particular team he predicts will go to the Super Bowl. The third column entitled “point awarded” is originally blank; it is filled in by the player or computer software with the number of probability score point of the correctly identified winner.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, out of possible numerical value of 30 of the probability score points, Player A receives no points, while Player A receives 30 points for correctly predicting New York Giants as being the Super Bowl champion. The total number of points awarded to Player A for that round of playoffs predictions, in the example illustrated in FIG. 6, is 15, while Player B received 65 points (FIG. 7).

The system and method of the present invention allow the players to make another set of predictions by selecting the Super Bowl winner. FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, Players A and B are presented with a table 60 with the names of the final teams imprinted thereon. Alternatively, the players can write in the names of the playing teams. The method of this invention assigns 50 point for correctly predicting the winner. In the example shown in FIG. 8, Player A correctly guessed that the New York Giants would become the winners, while Player B received no point for predicting that New England Patriots would be the NFL champions for the season.

Turning now to FIGS. 10 and 11, a table 62 is provided for tallying up the points awarded to each player during the 17 weeks of the season. The upper part of Table 62 summarizes the points of correct predictions for the weekly games, while the lower portion of the table 62 sums up the points won by the player during the 17-week regular season, in addition to the 3 playoff games and the Super Bowl. In the examples illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, Player A receives 2514 total season points, while Player B receives 2760 season point. The player with the largest number of score points wins the game.

The system and method of the present invention can be used to play as a board game or as a computer-assisted game. Each participant uses his/her knowledge of the teams to predict the probability of a particular team winning against another team selected by the NFL officials. The present invention gives an opportunity to each participant to predict the outcome of future games throughout an NFL season. The game may be played by individual players and by teams of players.

If the game is played using a computing device, the computer is programmed to follow the rules of the game identified above. In this case, participants are issued several sets of cards with the tables as shown in FIGS. 1-11. The cards have the same identification of the players, the seasonal time period and delineated blank spaces for the participants to enter their prediction scores. The cards must be filled in and either submitted to the game administrator or sent via the Internet to the game administrator prior to the scheduled sporting event, such as the weekly football game.

The game administrator receives from the participants the game cards that have the delineated spaces marked with indicia corresponding to the predicted numerical value of the probability scores of winning of selected competing teams for each of the events, such as weekly games during the NFL playing season. The administrator then enters the predicted numerical value of the sum of the final scores of the competing terms indicated on the cards into the memory of a programmed computer in association with a unique data entry transaction code given to each player.

After the weekly or playoff game is played and the actual numerical scores values of each scheduled sporting event become available, the administrator enters the played score results into the computer memory. The administrator then directs the computer to identify the data entry transaction code of the probability score predictions of each game participant and to store the total numerical value of probability scores awarded to each participant during the specified time of the playing season. After the final game of the season, such as the Super Bowl is played, the computer calculates the total number of probability score points and identifies the game winner.

Of course, the same inventive method could be used to simulate the competition structure of other professional or collegiate sports leagues, and the subjects of player predictions could differ accordingly. The sporting events may be baseball, basketball, volleyball hockey games, as well as other seasonal sporting events. Furthermore, it is generally understood that substitutions and equivalents for various elements set forth above may be obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the full scope and definition of the present invention is to be set forth by the claims that follow. 

1. A system of conducting a gaming tournament based on real sporting events, the system comprising: a first set of game cards having indicia thereon, said indicia comprising a means for entering a plurality of players into the tournament, for identifying real sporting event contestants during a season; wherein the season is divisible into a succession of time periods; for entering predictions within each time period based on a probability score of a sporting event contest winners during each of the successive time periods, for determining each time period winners, wherein the players who correctly predicted probability of the real time winners of the real contests occurring within the corresponding time period receive score points corresponding to the probability score entered into the first set of game cards by the players prior to the scheduled sporting event.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a second set of game cards having indicia thereon, wherein said second set game card indicia comprises a means for entering winners of a sporting event playoff period, for entering predictions within each round of the playoff period based on a probability score awarded by each player during each of the successive rounds of the playoff period, wherein the players who correctly predicted probability of the real time winners of the round of the playoff period receive score points corresponding to the probability score entered into the second set of game cards by the players prior to the round of the playoff period of the scheduled sporting event.
 3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a third set of game cards having indicia thereon, which comprises a means for recording each player's score points during each successive time period during a season.
 4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a fourth set of game cards having indicia thereon, which comprises a means for recording each player's score points during a final championship game of the sporting event season.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first set of cards is provided with indicia thereon, which comprises a means for predicting winners and probability score identified with each predicted winner during, a playoff period of a sporting event season.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the real sporting event is a play season of the National Football League.
 7. A method of conducting a gaming tournament based on real sporting events, comprising the steps of: providing at least a first set of game cards having indicia thereon identifying real sporting event participants during a season, wherein the season is divisible into a succession of time periods; entering a plurality of players into the tournament; entering predictions within each time period based on a probability score of a sporting event contest winners during each of the successive time periods; determining each time period winners, wherein the players who correctly predicted probability of the real time winners of the real contests occurring within the corresponding time period receive score points corresponding to the probability score entered into the at least the first set of game cards by the players prior to the scheduled sporting event.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of providing a second set of game cards having indicia thereon; identifying winners of each round of a sporting event playoff period, entering predictions within each round of a playoff period based on a probability score awarded by each player during each of the successive rounds of the playoff period, wherein the players who correctly predicted probability of the real time winners of the round of the playoff period receive score points corresponding to the probability score entered into the second set of game cards by the players prior to the round of the playoff period of the scheduled sporting event.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising a step of providing a third set of game cards having indicia thereon, and recording each player's score points during each successive time period during a season.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of providing a fourth set of game cards for recording each player's score points during a final championship game of the sporting event season.
 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising a step of predicting winners and probability score identified with each predicted winner during a playoff period of a sporting event season.
 12. The method of claim 7, wherein the sporting event season is a seventeen-week game season of the National Football League.
 13. A method of conducting games of chance in conjunction with a plurality of regularly-scheduled sporting events between competing teams for determining winners of the game based on the highest number of score points during a playing season, the method comprising the steps of: issuing to participants a first set of game cards that identify a plurality of teams participating in a playing season of scheduled sporting events to be played during a specified time and that include blank delineated spaces that correspond to pre-selected fields of information for the entry of indicia corresponding to the predicted numerical probability score of the competing teams for each event; receiving from the participants prior to the specified time, game cards that have the delineated spaces marked with indicia corresponding to the predicted numerical value of the probability scores of winning of selected competing teams for each of the events; entering the predicted numerical value of the sum of the final scores of the competing terms indicated on the cards into the memory of a programmed digital computing device in association with a unique data entry transaction code; entering the actual numerical score value totals from each of the scheduled sporting events into the memory of the digital computing device; employing the computing device to identify the data entry transaction code of the probability score predictions of each participant; storing the total numerical value of probability scores awarded to each participant during the specified time of the playing season; and selecting a winner of game based on the highest numerical value of the probability score awarded to a player.
 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of issuing a second set of game cards for entry of numerical value of the probability score that include blank delineated spaces that correspond to pre-selected fields of information for the entry of indicia corresponding to the predicted numerical probability score of the competing teams during plays of a playoff period, for entering predictions within each round of the playoff period based on a probability score awarded by each player during each of the successive rounds of the playoff period.
 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of issuing a third set of game cards for entry of numerical value of the probability score point awarded to each game participant during each successive time period during a season.
 16. The method of claim 14, further comprising a step of issuing a fourth set of game cards for entry of numerical value of the probability score points selected by each participant to each competing team during a final championship game of the sporting event playing season.
 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the first set of game cards contains delineated spaces for entering the numerical value of the probability score points for more than one sporting event to be played during the playing season. 